THE DIGITAL DILEMMA: NAVIGATING THE ROLE OF THE INTERNET AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO TRADITIONAL FAMILY AND SCHOOL STRUCTURES
Aju Kurian, Zaid Hossain · 2023
The rapid expansion of the internet and communication technology enables individuals to swiftly connect and engage with people worldwide using their personal computers or mobile devices. Adolescents are particularly drawn to Social Networking Sites (SNS), which provide a platform for individuals to share ideas, express emotions, and reconnect with long-lost friends. The present study seeks to examine the role of internet as an alternative to traditional family and school structures. It also explores the correlation between internet usage and academic performance of students and the correlation between time spent on internet and the time spent on family social interactions. This study was carried out among 106 students from the city of Kolkata. A self-constructed questionnaire was used to collect the data. The analysis of the data revealed that 1) all students use social media, 2) 74 per cent students think that internet usage has a negative impact upon all age groups, 3) 83 per cent believed that traditional educational system cannot be substituted with online mode of education 4) 89 per cent considered the fact that traditional schooling is far better than online mode of education, 5) Time spent on internet and academic performance of students were found to be inversely and strongly related and 6) time spent on internet and time spent with family in social interactions were found to be inversely and strongly related.